Real Madrid (H) Feb 21st [CL]

[My_Blood_Bleeds_Red]

Technically we are nowhere near Madrids level. There's just been too many bad passes, too many bad first touches, and we can no long make up for that deficienty with work-rate and intense pressing.

Madrid can smell blood from miles away are are probably the most ruthless, cutthroat team I can remember. They'll likely win the trophy.

I rate Carlo as arguably the best manager in the world.

I never understand why some Real fans don't rate him much. Yeah, sure he gives off that aloof vibe, but make no mistake, he's a master tactician.

Today, he kept Klopp in his pocket. AGAIN. for the millionth time too.

We can say we gifted them the goals through our mistakes, but how many times have we used that excuse against a Carlo's team ? He even beat us with a crap Everton team and turned Dominic into a world class striker for a season !

If I had to pick someone to go to a craps or roulette's table with, it would be Carlo, without a doubt.

 

[jexykrodic]

Two steps forward, five back.

 

[KopRed]

Gomez - 0

I really don't want to see him anywhere near the first team, or (trying to be as nice as i can), anywhere within a 100km radius from our club please.

He has a contract till 2027 unfortunately.

This is not the first time he had a shit show. It's countless of times. Remember Napoli? This season? In the CL?

At some point the blame stops with Gomez and starts with the management team who insisted on playing him.

And giving him that new contract with a raise.

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f...n=continue_reading_button#amp-readmore-target

"During his 73 minutes on the pitch before being substituted with a suspected hamstring injury, he won zero tackles, made zero blocks and lost possession six times - and that left him at the mercy of Liverpool supporters online."

 

[localny]

How on earth did Carlo land at Everton?

 

[Farkmaster]

Gomez would be a perfectly fine 4th choice cb. He's playing because of the injuries and idiocy of those who should be playing in front of him. Matip has had a brain fart in every one of his recent starts.

I'm more worried about our first choices all over the pitch. Gomez wouldn't have played if everyone was healthy. There are others who would have, and there is no better alternative for them.

We have some real quality still at fullback, are starting to be able to create some goals again. The spine of our team is utterly shit. We could get rid of 7 midfielders and I would be fine with it. It's disturbing how badly rotted out it is.

 

[mwake]

Getting a proper bumming tonight.

Ali to keep the score respectable.

50% right you were...

 

[Holle]

No shit, Sherlock.

We've been doing that for the best part of the last two seasons. Mainly inapt cunts you keep bigging up in the press.

 

[rurikbird]

Gomez would be a perfectly fine 4th choice cb. He's playing because of the injuries and idiocy of those who should be playing in front of him. Matip has had a brain fart in every one of his recent starts.

I thought so too, but now I’m not sure - what other 3rd/4th choice CB at a big club commits big errors with such regularity? He might just not be suitable for the way Klopp wants the defence to play; I think he would be much more comfortable in a back 3.

 

[RedStar]

I rate Carlo as arguably the best manager in the world.

I never understand why some Real fans don't rate him much. Yeah, sure he gives off that aloof vibe, but make no mistake, he's a master tactician.

Today, he kept Klopp in his pocket. AGAIN. for the millionth time too.

We can say we gifted them the goals through our mistakes, but how many times have we used that excuse against a Carlo's team ? He even beat us with a crap Everton team and turned Dominic into a world class striker for a season !

If I had to pick someone to go to a craps or roulette's table with, it would be Carlo, without a doubt.

Hes beaten Klopp with an Everton team for fuck sake.

 

[Farkmaster]

Which is somewhat notable .

Whereas so many teams have deep dicked us this season. Wolves shat on us. Far better display than real, I'd say.

 

[tomasjj]

I mean, not many of us really believed we had turned a corner after the last two wins.
We know this team and its current deficiencies.

Also questions have to be asked about the game management. 2-0 up and we keep going at it? Ridiculous by Klopp and his team.
Sort yourselves out.

 

[KopRed]

I thought so too, but now I’m not sure - what other 3rd/4th choice CB at a big club commits big errors with such regularity? He might just not be suitable for the way Klopp wants the defence to play; I think he would be much more comfortable in a back 3.

He's not good enough for a squad challenging on all fronts. We thought he was, well he has all the attributes to, and apparently he is a "great trainer". But performances on the pitch has shown otherwise. Whether it was against the Brightons / Wolves, or the Reals / Napolis, he has had major stinkers with alarming regularities. I am not sure how many more times we have to see his shit show over and over again until we are willing to replace him.

 

[Hansern]

He's still living of that amazing season he and Virgil had, but has been very far off those performances and stability since.
Being homegrown is probably what keeps him in the squad going forward.

 

[Hansern]

This game highlighted our season in a nutshell to be honest. Very good performance and high ceiling at the start and then a brutally poor performance at our worst. The highs and lows in the same game. Flaws in midfield picked a part. Mistakes in our own team. Poor marking and a comedy goal conceded.
Sums up 2022/23.

Looking forward to next season.

 

[Fabio]

Who has nat Phillips sexually assaulted in order to keep getting overlooked? Fucks sake, we can't be much worse with naldini

He's still living of that amazing season he and Virgil had, but has been very far off those performances and stability since.
Being homegrown is probably what keeps him in the squad going forward.

He did have a good season then, but we were a much more cohesive defensive unit. Fabinho Henderson and wijnaldum pretty much kept the CBS safe, and even then VVD was much more than he is now.

Perhaps this is how Gomez always has been, it's just he was never under consistent enough pressure to force the errors.

 

[The Nomad]

The performance didn't bother me.. it was the manner of their goals.

On another day it'd have been 2-2 or 5-5.

They took all there chances.. luckily or no. We didn't.

I don't blame baj for there second goal. He tried to make something work.

I don't even blame Gomez for their 4th goal, wnd definitely not their second (that was classic Alisson, we've got to accept hes got that in his locker).

They were just a lucky side last night that everything went in.

I do blame Gomez for their 1st goal though. You've got to close him down.

 

[Red Bird]

How about we for once change the formation rather than just the personnel? We constantly get out muscled in MF with only 3 bodies there. What's Klopp hoping with his 4-3-3 and highline when the MF is shit and defenders like Gomez shit themselves when attackers come face on with him? Real Madrid have a geriatric MF but they run rings round us.

But those geriatrics know how to look after the ball. Our veterans think the football is a viper to be instantly got rid of regardless of where.

 

[RedStar]

The performance didn't bother me.. it was the manner of their goals.

On another day it'd have been 2-2 or 5-5.

They took all there chances.. luckily or no. We didn't.

I don't blame baj for there second goal. He tried to make something work.

I don't even blame Gomez for their 4th goal, wnd definitely not their second (that was classic Alisson, we've got to accept hes got that in his locker).

They were just a lucky side last night that everything went in.

I do blame Gomez for their 1st goal though. You've got to close him down.

Strongly disagree that they took all their chances, they could have had more if not for a couple of good stops from Ali.

 

[Dreambeliever]

Nat Philips has to play the rest of the season

 

[LeTallecWiz]

Nat Philips has to play the rest of the season

Tbh, I think this has been something a lot of has thrown out.
Everyone is aware of his short comings but a) he's a powerful leader in the back b) his is a physical presence and c) he'll fight ...
Point c seems to be lost on many of players far too often this season.

 

[Hansern]

The performance didn't bother me.. it was the manner of their goals.

On another day it'd have been 2-2 or 5-5.

They took all there chances.. luckily or no. We didn't.

I don't blame baj for there second goal. He tried to make something work.

I don't even blame Gomez for their 4th goal, wnd definitely not their second (that was classic Alisson, we've got to accept hes got that in his locker).

They were just a lucky side last night that everything went in.

I do blame Gomez for their 1st goal though. You've got to close him down.

The third goal was also inexcusable to be fair. That cant happen at this level.

 

[Fabio]

The performance didn't bother me.. it was the manner of their goals.

On another day it'd have been 2-2 or 5-5.

They took all there chances.. luckily or no. We didn't.

I don't blame baj for there second goal. He tried to make something work.

I don't even blame Gomez for their 4th goal, wnd definitely not their second (that was classic Alisson, we've got to accept hes got that in his locker).

They were just a lucky side last night that everything went in.

I do blame Gomez for their 1st goal though. You've got to close him down.

For me Gomez is culpable for the 1st and 3rd, maybe the 4th. The 3rd he gave a stupid free kick away. You cant do that against teams of this quality. The 2nd I admit i initially misjudged. The 4th he should have closed down thoul It's forever an issue with Gomez, he backs off or waits until the shit happens. His decision making is abysmal

 

[Best Believe It]

Gomez is, I think, one of those who has just missed too much football at a formative age and isn't going to realise his potential now. He would be miles better in a team whose full backs didn't attack so much and had one or more physical midfielders in front of him, but even then his concentration is still going to be an issue, which then makes his positioning often a problem.

 

[Woland]

And if a little puny dick like Sterling can beat you up unchallenged you need to consider your career choice

 

[Fabio]

And if a little puny dick like Sterling can beat you up unchallenged you need to consider your career choice

tbf sterling scratched with his velociraptor arms. Hard to deal with that speed

 

[Markeh]

I wouldn’t say that Madrid midfield was geriatric but it was a good demonstration of surrounding a technically excellent aging player with youthful energy.

 

[StevieM]

For me Gomez is culpable for the 1st and 3rd, maybe the 4th. The 3rd he gave a stupid free kick away. You cant do that against teams of this quality. The 2nd I admit i initially misjudged. The 4th he should have closed down thoul It's forever an issue with Gomez, he backs off or waits until the shit happens. His decision making is abysmal

I dunno - I don’t think Gomez is anywhere near as bad as the popular opinion on here seems to be heading.

The first goal is a stretch because it was a world class finish - maybe he could have closed down more, but yarn he’d get spammed for diving in too quickly.

Missed the 3rd goal - but that was all about poor defending from a host of players - everyone was in a line from the replay I saw - fucking terrible defending.

4th - I mean, it’s a deflection- we’ve been criticising defenders for not going - someone posted something along the lines of “standing up straight so as not to obscure Alison’s view as it sails past him into the net” - Farkie maybe?? - one of the funniest things written on here in ages - but he did sort of five in… and pop… deflects it past the keeper.

I think he gets unfairly singled out sometimes - he’s hit that “Lucas point” where people can’t wait to rip in to him.

That’s not saying he’s good - he’s a 4th choice CB that would have been fucked off long ago except he’s probably our fasted defender and the only one that can slot in across the entire back four and he’s homegrown. He also seems like someone who doesn’t moan and complain.

Maybe he should, but I’m seemingly more inclined to cut him a bit of slack than the rest of the world.

 

[Squiggles]

5 goals from 1.66 XG – the definition of clinical. (Possibly also the definition of shit defending)

This is the crux of it. There's no team in the PL than are as clinical or experienced as Real Madrid and you can give up those opportunities and not concede. I can't think of a player in the PL who could have scored their Vinicious first goal given the space available. The freekick was ruthless exploitation of a zonal marking system. It looks straight-forward but it was insanely executed. The final goal was precise at it gets. On another day the Alisson doesn't fuck up for the second and deflected goal doesn't happen, so the result flattered them a bit, but these things can happen when a side is careless with possession, and not streetwise or fast enough to bring down their players on the counter.

The gulf in class last night was so big at times it was impossible not just to sit back and admire their football. It was unfortunate our midfield and defence chose to do the same.

 

[JohnnyRocket]

I wouldn’t say that Madrid midfield was geriatric but it was a good demonstration of surrounding a technically excellent aging player with youthful energy.

Basically like we should be doing with Thiago

 

[Squiggles]

How on earth did Carlo land at Everton?

Combination of high wages paid and him running out of decent football clubs to manage. It's not overly common for clubs re-hire someone, but yeah, it was odd seeing him at Goodison. I'd love to have seen how quickly he packed his bags when the call from Real Madid came in. I strong suspect there's a Carlo shaped hole still in the office door at Finch Farm.